Nonrefill bottle valve



5 Sheets-Sheet l Zzven Z207, gn@ 025/5 G CAHILL NONREFILL BOTTLE VALVEFlled May I5, 193'? Sept. 5, 1939.

G. cAHlLL 2,171,583

l NONREFILL BOTTLE VALVE v Filed May 3, '1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 @6m/gfSept. 5, 1939.

Sept. 5, 1939.

G. CAHILL NONREFILL BOTTLE VALVE Filed May 3, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 3Sept. 5, 1939. G. CAHILL NONREFILL BOTTLE VALVE Filed May 5, 195'? 5Sheets-Sheet 4 W, M m

Sept. 5, 1939. G. cAHlLL 2,171,683

NONREFILL BOTTLE VALVE Filed May 3, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 o llllllllll..6117111111110 flIIlllllJlllll/Illlln Patented Sept. 5, 1939 UNiTEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE 13 Claims.

This invention relates to a non-rellable bottle.

Several methods are practiced in attempting to iill such bottles. Forexample, a wire may be Y inserted into the bottle neck in an eiiort tohold the valve open while the bottle is filled; or the bottle may begiven rapid oscillating or reciproeating movements while submerged in aliquid.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved bottle from whichliquid contained therein may be easily poured out, but which cannot belled again by any method known.

Another object is to provide a structure having improved means forobstructing opening of the valve when the bottle is given areciprocating movement. A further object is to provide a structure inwhich the valve is locked in closed position during shipping andstorage.

Another object is to provide means by which the guard structure isirretrievably locked in the neck of a bottle. Still another object is toprovide improved means for releasably engaging the valve lifting meanswith the Valve. Other specific objects will appear as the specicationproceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in preferred embodiments, by theaccompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l isl a vertical sectional view ofa bottle neck equipped with my improved means for preventing relling,the structure being shown in normal upright position with closureattached; Fig. 2, a View similar to Fig. 1, but Showing the apparatuswith closure removed and in inverted or pouring position; Fig. 3, a Viewsimilar to Fig. 2, but showing the apparatus after it has been given aquick reciprocating movement; Fig. 4, a detail plan view of a top plateemployed in forming the top wall of the guard structure; Fig. 5, adetail plan view of the lower plate employed in forming the top wall ofthe guard structure; Fig. 6, a detail view of the locking piece at thetop of the guard structure, the view being taken as seen from the bottomof the locking piece; Fig. 7, a detail side elevational view of thelocking piece shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8, a transverse sectional View,showing the ring carrier member and taken as indicated at line 8 of Fig.3; Fig. 9, a transverse sectional View taken as indicated at line 9 ofFig. 3, the position of the weight slide when the bottle is invertedbeing shown in dotted lines; Fig. 10, a detail side elevational View ofthe upper weight member; Fig. 11, a detail plan view of the slide whichis associated with the weight member; Fig. 12, a detail side elevationalvview of the nut employed in locking the guard structure within thecontainer neck; Fig. 13, another detail view of the nut shown in Fig.12, this view being taken as seen from its under side; Fig. 14, a detailelevational View of the ring carrying member; Fig. 15 is a plan viewshowing 5 the clamping ring for locking the guard against withdrawalfrom the container neck; Fig. 16, a broken vertical sectional View of amodification, this view showing the parts in normal or upright position;and Fig. 17, another broken vertical 10 sectional View of themodification shown in Fig. 16, this View showing the structure ininverted or pouring position.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 to 15, A designates a container neck; B, avalve-equipped guard struc- 15 ture within the container neck; and C,means for irretrievably securing the guard structure within thecontainer neck.

The container neck A may be of any suitable type adapted for receivingwithin it the guard 20 structure. Neck A is provided, preferably nearits base, with a constriction I 0, against which the guard structure maybe locked in place. At its top, the neck may be provided with ridges I Iwith which the edges of cap I2 engage. A lower cap 25 plate I3 ispressed downwardly by cap I2 and has its edges spaced from the neck edgeby a resilient washer I4. At its central portion, plate I3 is struckdownwardly for engaging with the locking piece of the guard structure.

The guard structure B includes an outer tube I5 and an inner tube I6.Outer tube I5 is provided with diametrically opposed slots or openingsI'I and is crimped to provide a threaded portion I8. At its lowerportion, outer tube I5 has 35 an inturned portion I9, which forms a seatfor the base 20 of inner tube I6. Tube I6 has its walls spaced fromouter tube I5 and is provided with the diametrically opposed slots oropenings 2I which are 90 removed from slots I'I, as shown 40 moreclearly in Fig. 9 of the drawings. At the upper portion of tube I6 is aninternal annular groove 22 which is engaged by the guard ring later tobe described. Extending over the extreme top edge of tube I6 is a topwall 23 which 45 is held secure by the top edge 24 of tube I5 beingpeened over on top of it. Wall 23 is comprised of a top plate 25, shownin detail by Fig.

4, having arcuate openings 26, and a lower plate 21, shown in detail byFig. 5, having arcuate 50 openings 28 registering with openings 26.Lower plate 21 is provided also with downwardly struck fingers 29 whichform a socket for the ball of the pendulum later to be described.

A bell-piece 30 is fixedly secured to the bottom 55 f posed within tubeI6 and above float 39.

. stem 43 extends.

edges of inner and outer tubes i5 and I6. The exterior walls 3| of piece30 are rusto-conical in shape and at their bottom provide a seat 32 forthe locking ring 85. The bottom of piece 39 is. spider-like and has acentral aperture 34 which receives the cord 35 holding the ball weight36.

At the upper portion of bell-piece 38 is a short cylindrical passage oropening 49 into which is tted the valve member 31. Member 31 is open atits bottom and is provided with openings 33 in its sides. Above member31 is a float 39 having its edges extending beyond the edges of opening49 and being attached to member 31 by means of bolt 48 which has aneyelet nut 4|. at its lower end into which cord 35 is secured and has aneyelet head d2 for engagement withl the valve stem '43. diameters; theupper portion 45 is of larger diameter and the lower portion 45 is of a'smaller diameter providing a shoulder 41 at the junction of theseportions. The lower end of the stem has a hook 48. which engages withthe eyelet head 42.

A weight member 59 of general cylindrical form, andas shown in detail byFig. 10, is slidably dis- It is provided with exterior ridge portions`5| which engage the walls of tube I6, and has a central longitudinalopening 52 through which the valve On each side of weight member 58 arethe diametrically opposed longitudinal grooves 53 which are adapted toslidably receive the cam bars 54 and 55 secured to the walls of innertube I6. Cam bar 54 has. a cam surface 56 near its lower end, and cambar 55 has a cam surface 51 near its upper end. Near the top edge ofweight member 58 is a transverse slot 58 through which a latching slide59 extends.. Slide 59, shown more clearly in Fig. 11, is provided with acentral opening 6B' having a larger portion 8| and ajsmaller portion 62.

When weightr member 58, is in its downward position within the guardstructure as shown in Figs. 1 andv 3, the cam surface 56 of cam bar 54 Yis in engagement with one edge of latching slide 5,9"and causes theslide to assume a position in which the smallerv portion 46 of valvestem 43 is engaged by the smaller portion 62 of opening 65. However,when weight member 58 is raised within the guard structure as in theposition shown in Fig. 2, the'oam surface 51 of cam'bar 55 is inengagement with the other edge of latching slide 5,9' and causes theslidev to assume a position in which the Valve stem is received throughthe larger portion 6| of opening 69, and the larger portion 45 of thevalve stem may pass freely through this opening.

Above weight member 58 and slidably disposed in tube |6'is the guardring carrier 19, shown in detailv by Fig. 14, having a central opening1| and afiiared upper portion 12. A guard ring 13 carried by ringcarrier 18 is of substantially the same outer diameter as` is thediameter of the inner surface of ytube I6, and is slidable laterally ofthe carrier 18. A holding ring 14 may bey employed to hold the guardring to the carrier.

A pendulum 8|) is pivotally mounted at the top of the guard structuredirectly above the valve stem 43 and when in position aligned with stem43 is eiective in preventing the valve from raising. At its upper endpendulum 88 is equipped with `a ball 8| which is received into thesocket Valve stem 43 is formed of twov 4ait/"ipse tions. Its extremebottom end is enlarged at 82, so as to be more eiiective in blockingupward movement of the valve stem. Also, it has the upper enlargement 83which has the frusto-conical surface 84, the larger diameter of which issubstantially the same as the diameter of opening 1| in carrier 18. Thecentral portion 85 is of reduced diameter so that there will be noobstruction to the movement of the valve stem upon raising of the valve.

A U-shaped locking member 90 has its curved legs 9| extending throughopenings 25 and 28 in topwall 23 and engaging the iiat top surface ofenlargement 83 on pendulum 88. One of legs 9| has an enlargement 9 awhich prevents the member from being removed from top wall 23. It isreadily seen that when member 99 is pressed downwardly the pendulum willbe urged into a position aligned with Valve stem 43 and in which itobstructs the opening movement of the valve.

For locking the structure within the neck of a bottle I provide means C,including the lower clamping ring 85, sho-wn in detail in Fig. l5, whichis placed about the bell-piece 39. Ring 85 is of the expanding type andis provided with the outwardly extending bends 85 adapted to engage theneck of the bottle. In assembling the structure within the neck A of abottle, the ring 85 is i'lrst placed about the upper portion ofbellpiece 38 and the whole structure pushed downwardly within the bottleneck until the ring 85 is well below the constriction |8. Then ring 85expands and moves downwardly on bell-piece 38, iinally resting on seat32.

Packing material 81 is then inserted about the guard structure and thepacking nut screwed down on the packing material. Packing nut 95, asmore clearly shown in Figs. 12 and 13, is formed with threads 96 whichare adapted to engage with the threaded portion |8 of outer tube l5. Atits bottom, nut 95 has an Voutwardly extending flange 91 which pressesagainst packing material 81 as the nut is tightened. At its top, nut 95is provided with ratchet teeth 98 each ofL which have one' inclinedsurface and one' square surface, so that they may be engaged for turningthe nut down into locked position but cannot be engaged to unscrew thenut. Further meansfor preventing the unscrewing of nut 95 is provided inthe spring iingers 88 so arranged that their ends will engage one ofslots |1 in outer tube I5 when an attempt is made to turn the nut in adirection to loosenV it.

When nut 95 has been tightened to press packing material 81 rmly againstthe top of constriction lll and at the same time bring clamping ring 85tightly against the bottle below the constriction, the guard structure Bis irretrievably and vabsolutely locked within the neck A. A tool may beinserted into the bottle neck and outside the guard structure forengaging ratchet teeth 98 of nut 95 for tightening the nut, butobviously a tool could not engage these teeth for turning the nut toloosen it. It is also apparent that the lower clamping ring 85 cannot beloosened, for before this ring could be contracted it must move upwardlyto the smaller diameter of the bell-piece 30, and this is impossiblebecause of the engagement of bends 86 with the bottleneck.

In normal Vuse the bottlefis first illed with liquid; .then the guardAstructure is inserted in the neck and lockedin place as abovedescribed.

place as shown in Fig, 1, the inner plate I3 urges locking member 90downward which causes the pendulum 80 to be maintained inA a positionaligned with valve stem 43 to block the opening movement of the valve.Ihus while the container is being stored or shipped, the valve ismaintained in a closed condition so that no liquid is allowed to enterthe guard structure.

When the liquid within the bottle is to be used, the cap I2 may beremoved and the bottle inverted as shown in Fig. 2 to allow the liquidto pour out freely. As the bottle is inverted, gravity causes thependulum 80 to swing to the nonobstructing position shown in Fig. 2, sothat the valve stem 43 is free to move forwardly. Also, the weightmember moves forward and causes the shoulder 4l of the Valve stem to becaught at latching slide 59, so as weight 5D moves forward it positivelyraises fioat 39 and member 31. (It will be remembered that when weight50 was in lowered condition the cam 56 caused latching slide 59 toassume position for engaging shoulder 41.) With the valve thus raised,liquid may flow through openings 38 in valve member 31 and enter theinterior of inner tube l5. Ihe liquid may then ow out through one ofopenings 2l to the space between tubes l5 and I6, and from here theliquid may pass out of the guard structure through one of openings I1and drain from the bottle neck. As the liquid passes outwardly throughthe guard structure the air may enter to take its place through theother openings in tubes l5 and I6.

When weight member 5D has moved forwardly to its eXtreme position thecam 51 engages latching slide and moves it to bring the larger portion5l of opening 6D into register with opening 52 in the weight, so thatstem 43 is free to move within opening 52 to allow the valve to close.Thus unlatched from weight 53, the float 39 will retreat to close thevalve if an attempt is made to force liquid upwardly into the neck whilethe container is still inverted. And if the container is turned tohorizontal position, the weight 36 serves to pull the valve back toclosed position.

In the normal pouring operation of the bottle, the ring carrier 'I willmove forward until the guard ring I3 drops into groove 22 of the innertube I6. In this position (Fig. 2) the opening 'H of the ring carrier isadjacent the smaller partv85 of the pendulum 83. However, when thebottle is given a rapid longitudinal oscillating movement, the ring 13will skip past the groove 22 and allow the carrier 10 to move fartherforward (Fig. 3). As this member moves farther forward, the flange 12engages the conical surface 84 of enlargement 83 on pendulum 80 andcauses the pendulum to be urged into a position aligned with valve stem43, and this prevents the valve from again being opened. Such preventsthe filling of the bottle by a rapid oscillating movement while thebottle is submerged in a liquid.

The construction and operation of the modified form of the inventionshown in Figs. 16 and 17 is identical with the preferred form justdescribed eXcept for the pendulum and carrier members. As shown in Figs.16V and 17 the pendulum Sa is equipped witha ball 8la held in a socketat the top of the guard structure as in the preferred form. A stem 85aof reduced diameter is provided at its bottom end with an enlargement82a and has secured to it a disk 83a.

The carrier member 'Ila is loose Within tube I6 and is provided with anoutwardly extending top edge i3a having an outer diameter substantiallythe same as the inside surface of inner tube I6. At its center, member'llla has a conically shaped opening 'Ila which receives through it thependulum 80a.

As the bottle is inverted in the ordinary operation of pouring, thecarrier 'Hla moves forward until edge I3 drops into groove 22 of theinner tube I6. This holds the carrier against further forward movementand the pendulum remains in non-obstructing position. However, when thebottle is given a violent oscillating movement, the edge 'I3a will slippast groove 22 and allow the carrier to move farther forward. As carrierl!)a moves farther forward it engages one edge of disk 83 and causes thependulum to become aligned with valve 43, and so prevents the valve fromopening again.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly aspermissible, in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. In combination with a container neck, a guard structure locked withinsaid neck and providing a flow passage, a float valve within saidpassage, said valve being equipped with a valve stem having a shoulderthereon, a weight slidably disposed within said structure, a latchmember slidably attached to said weight and having an opening throughwhich said stem is received. said opening having a smaller portionadapted to engage said shoulder and a larger portion through which saidshoulder may pass freely, cam means attached to said guard structure formoving said latch member to a position in which said smaller portion ofsaid opening engages said stem when said container neck is insubstantially upright position, and cam means attached to said guardstructure for moving said latch member to a position in which saidlarger portion of said opening engages said stem after said containerneck is inverted to a pouring position.

2. In a guard structure for a container neck, said guard structure beingequipped with a valve, a pivoted member controlling the opening movementof said valve, said member having a larger diameter and a smallerdiameter, and a member slidably disposed within said guard structure andhaving an opening therein through which said pivoted member is received,the smaller diameter of said pivoted member being normally adjacent saidopening, said slidable member being adapted to move to a position inwhich said larger diameter of said pivoted member is adjacent saidopening and in which said pivoted member is maintained invalve-obstructing position when the container is given a longitudinalreciprocal movement in upright position.

3. In a guard structure for a container neck, said guard structure beingequipped with a float valve, a pivoted member controlling the movementof said valve, and a member slidably disposed within said guardstructure and normally permitting said pivoted member to move intonon-obstructing position, said member being adapted upon reciprocalmovement of said container to move said pivoted member tovalve-obstructing position, a groove within said guard structure, and aring slidably carried by said slidable member, said ring being adaptednormally to engage said groove to restrain said slidable member frommoving said pivoted member to valve-obstructing position.

4. In a guard structure for a container neck, said structure beingequipped with a oat valve and having an internal groove, a pendulumpivotally supported in said structure and controlling the openingmovement of said valve, and a member slidably disposed within said guardstructure and normally permitting said pendulum to swing intonon-obstructing position, said member being adapted to move forwardlyinto contact with said pivotal member and to urge said pivotal memberinto valve obstructing position when said container neck is given alongitudinal reciprocal movement, said slidable member being equippedwith means for engaging said groove to restrain forward movement ofYsaid slidable member.

5. In combination with a container neck, a guard structure equipped witha float valve, a swingable member within said structure and controllingthe movement of said valve, and means for irretrievably locking saidstructure within said container neck, said means including a threadedmember having engaging means by which said member may be turned in onlyone direction.

6. In combination with a container neck, a guard structure equipped witha float valve, said structure having a slotted wall, a swingable memberwithin said structure and controlling the movement of said valve, andmeans for locking said structure within said container neck, said meansincluding a threaded member prof vided with a locking spring, saidspring being adapted to engage a slot of said slotted wall to preventturning of said member upon attempt to turnY said member in a directionto loosen said guard structure.

Y '7. In combination with a container neck having a restriction therein,a guard structure equipped with a float valve, a swingable member withinsaid structure andcontrolling the movement of said valve, and means forlocking said structure within said container neck, said means includingan expanding ring engaging said container neck below said restrictionand holding said structure against upward movement within said neck, andincluding also a threaded member securing said structure againstvdownward movement within said neck.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 in which `said ring is held inexpanded condition by said structure and in which said ring can becontracted only after upward movement with respect to said structure.

9. In combination with a container neck hav- Ying a restriction therein,a guard structure equipped with a float valve, a swingable member withinsaid structure and controlling the movement of said valve from its seat,and means for locking said structure within said container neck, saidmeans including an expanding ring carried in expanded condition'by saidstructure, said ring engaging said container neck below said restrictionand adapted to prevent upward movement of said structure within saidneck, packing material within said neck and above said restriction,

. and a threaded member adapted to engage said structure for pressingsaid packing material against said restriction and securing saidstructure against downward'movement within said neck.

10. In combination with a container neck, a guard structure lockedwithin said neck and comprising an inner tube and an outer tube spacedfrom said inner tube, each of said tubes having diametrically oppositeopenings therein, the openings in said outer tube being 90 removed fromthe openings in said inner tube, said structure being equipped with afloat valve, a swingable member within said tubes and controlling themovement of said Valve, and means for locking said structure within saidcontainer neck, said means including a threaded member engaging saidouter tube.

11. In combination with a container neck, a guard structure lockedwithin said neck and providing a flow passage, a float valve within saidpassage and controlling the flow therethrough, a weight slidablydisposed within said guard structure, said weight being adapted toreleasably lift said valve to allow flow through said passage when saidcontainer neck is inverted to pouring position, a pivoted membernormally obstructing the opening movement of said valve but adapted tomove to non-obstructing position when said container neck is inverted topouring position, and means `for again moving said pivoted member intovalve-obstructing position when the container is given a longitudinalreciprocal movement.

12. In combination with a container neck having a constriction therein,a Vvalve and guard structure within said neck and passing through saidconstriction, mechanism Yfor preventing the removal without destructionof said valve and guard structure from said neck, said mechanismincluding means carried by said structure above said constriction andengaging vthe same so as to prevent said valve and guard structure frombeing pressed into the container, and means carried by vsaid structureand engaging said container neck below said constriction for preventingupward movement of said structure, said lastmentioned means comprising abell-shaped structure and a resilient ring slidablycarried by saidbell-shaped structure, said bell-shaped structure being provided with a`shoulder for supporting said resilient-ring in itsrlowermostexpandedposition.

13. In combination with a container having a neck portion andaJcontainer portion, said neck being constricted nearits base and wideninginto the said container, a guard and valve structure vwithin said neck,Ymechanism Vfor Vlocking said structurewithin said neck against removaltherefrom either inY an upward direction or in a downward directionwithout destruction of-said neck, said mechanism including shouldermeans carried by said guard structure and engaging ysaid neck abovesaidconstriction for preventing downward movement of saidguardstructure, a locking structure extending-below said constriction, saidstructure being bell-shapedn and having a widened lower portion,threaded means engagingand associated l-with said rlocking structure and.said guard vstructure for raising and lowering said lockingstructure-through a limited range, and a resilient ring slidablysupported by said bell-shaped structure and adapted to be expanded belowsaid constriction for vpreventing upward movement of said guard andvalve structure.

GERALD CAHILLf

